IARF British
Chapter Conference
at
Croydon Unitarian Church on Saturday 30 November 2002, 10.30
-16.00 To discuss the IARF Congress, held in August 2002 in
Budapest, and to hold a Memorial Service for the former President,
Chief
Priest Yamamoto who passed away earlier this year.
Rev. Johanna Boeke explained that in 1988 she was one of the
Trustees of Starr King School for the Ministry which voted
to award Chief Priest Yamamoto the Degree of Doctor of Sacred
Theology. She was one of four representatives of Starr King
School who traveled to Japan to celebrate this historic event.
She shared a portion of the speech which she gave in Japan:
"Today we acknowledge and honor Yamamoto Guji, the first
Shinto Priest to receive an honorary degree from a school in the USA. But in my view, it is more than an honorary degree:
it is most definitely an earned degree. Dr. Yamamoto, you
have worked consistently for many years to make real your
vision of ...a world where religions to-gether will help span
the gap between that which IS, and that which OUGHT TO BE.
"Just before my departure for Japan, I read an article
in a San Francisico newspaper suggesting that a new Xenophobia,
a fear of strangers has emerged in the United States. ...
This emerging Xenophobia is one of the main reasons for making
me believe that the continued presence of Tsubaki Shrine in
the USA is so important. ... What Tsubaki Shrine is doing
is precisely what is needed to dispel ths growing mistrust.
"I once read that there are two stages of courage: first
and second. Many ministers and priests accomplish the first
courage by bringing liberating and new viewpoints to their
churches and shrine members. But they never reach the second
stage, the courage to act upon these ideas. Dr. Yamamoto has
both first and second courage. He has brought exciting new
visions to the world and acted upon them. Thus he has truly
EARNED the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology."
The impressive
BUDDHIST service led by Megumi Hirota of Rissho Kosei
kai included traditional chants: the Odaimoku, the Dojo-kan,
and a message to Dr. Yamamoto. It reminded us of the words
of Dr. Yamamoto in his autobiography, THE WAY OF THE KAMI:
"A real Shinto believer can be at home in a Shinto Shrine
at New Year, a Buddhist Temple at the Oban Festival for the
souls of ancestors, or at a Christian Church on Christmas
Eve."
The closing music was the beginning of Beethoven's Moonlight
Sonata. Very fitting for a Shinto priest who often stood under
a waterfall in the moonlight.
After lunch, IARF Young Adult Coordinator Ramola Sundram told
of the excitement of bringing young adults from around the
world to Budapest. By email & regional conferences, her
goal is 200 young adults in the network by 2007.
Click here for Young Adult Pages
Christine Hayhurst introduced IARF Secretary Andrew Clark
who presented the final programme of the day. He told of issues
of religious freedom today. He has just written a letter to
the Prime Minister of Hungary expressing concern that the
government is discriminating against any group that is not
one of the Four Recognized Religious Bodies. The French have
passed legislation against cults. The Chinese now point to
this legislation to justify their repression of the Falun
Gong.
Each religion has a code of conduct. What sort of world guideline
could we put forward as a basis for religious dialogue? One
person suggested the "Global Ethic" of Hans Kung.
Do we need poets to give us a planetary vision?
Andrew Clark had us split into four groups. Can we have "A
VOLUNTARY CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ALL RELIGIONS." Should
we call it a "CODE OF HONOUR," A "DECLARATION
OF RESPONSIBILITY? What phrase would you use by this concept
of a framework by which individuals and religions might examine
themselves?
What content should it have? How would it be presented for
effective use?
In the groups there was a struggle between those who wanted.
"Thou Shalt Nots" like the "Ten Commandments"
and those who wanted something more positive, perhaps in the
style of Beatitudes: "Blessed are the peacemakers. "
Andrew Clark told us that the IARF Council was now working
out its own internal guidelines for membership. When the IARF
works out its own guidelines, then it may be ready to put
them forward for a world dialogue toward mutual trust and
understanding.
As we broke for the closing tea, Anne McClelland expessed
our thanks to Croydon Unitarians for their gracious hopsitality.
A thank you is also due to Annette Percy, who registered participants
at the door, and took new £15 (fifteen pound) memberships
in the "U.K Chapter of the IARF." All British are
invited to mail their membership checks to Annette. The IARF
Conference at the Ramada Inn in Palm Springs, CA., 16-19 January
2003 can be seen by clicking on here.
Reported by Richard Boeke
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